Patentable/Patents/US-8401588
US-8401588

Dual mode human interface device

PublishedMarch 19, 2013
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

A dual mode human interface device (HID) includes a wireless interface for wireless communication with a host computer; a wired interface for wired communication with the host computer; and a processor coupled with the wireless interface and the wired interface for transferring data between the HID and the host computer, wherein the processor initiates establishing wireless communication with the host computer, when the HID is connected to the host computer via the wired interface.

Patent Claims
12 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.

1

1. A dual mode human interface device (HID) comprising: a wireless interface configured to communicate wirelessly with a host computer; a wired interface configured to communicate via a wired interface connection with the host computer; and a processor coupled with both the wireless interface and the wired interface, the processor being configured to: transfer data between the HID and the host computer via the wireless interface and via the wired interface; control whether data is transferred between the HID and the host computer via the wireless interface or via the wired interface; prompt a user to log in to the host computer via the wired interface before pairing for wireless communication; log the user in to the host computer via the wired interface after prompting the user; and establish, via the wired interface connection, pairing for wireless communication between the HID and the host computer after logging the user in to the host computer via the wired interface, by providing an address of the HID to the host computer using the wired interface, exchanging a link key between the HID and the host computer using the wired interface, and storing the address and the link key in memory on the HID using the wired interface for use in wireless communication between the HID and the host computer using the wireless interface.

2

2. The dual mode HID of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to switch to wireless communication with the host computer, if the processor senses that the wired interface is no longer connected to the host computer.

3

3. The dual mode HID of claim 1 , wherein the processor is configured to switch to wired communication with the host computer, if the processor senses that the wired communication becomes available.

4

4. The dual mode HID of claim 1 , further comprising a power management unit configured to charge the HID via the wired interface.

5

5. The dual mode HID of claim 1 , wherein the wireless interface is a Bluetooth interface.

6

6. The dual mode HID of claim 1 , wherein the wired interface is a USB interface.

7

7. The dual mode HID of claim 1 , wherein the processor is further configured to provide an HID input report to the host computer via the wired interface, the HID input report indicating that the HID is a dual mode device.

8

8. The HID of claim 1 , wherein the exchanging the link key includes the HID generating the link key and providing an HID input report to the host computer using the wired interface, the HID input report including the link key and indicating that the HID is configured to communicate with the host computer via both the wireless interface and the wired interface.

9

9. A method comprising: transferring, by a processor, data between a human interface device (HID) and a host computer via a wired interface of the HID, the processor being coupled with both the wired interface of the HID and a wireless interface of the HID and being configured to control whether data are transferred between the HID and the host computer via the wired interface or the wireless interface, the wireless interface being configured to communicate wirelessly with a host computer, the wired interface being configured to communicate via a wired interface connection with the host computer; prompting a user to log into the host computer via the wired interface before pairing for wireless communication; logging the user in to the host computer via the wired interface after prompting the user; and establishing, by the processor via the wired interface connection after logging the user in to the host computer via the wired interface, pairing for wireless communication between the HID and the host computer, by providing an address of the HID to the host computer using the wired interface, exchanging a link key between the HID and the host computer using the wired interface, and storing the address and the link key in memory on the HID using the wired interface for use in wireless communication between the HID and the host computer using the wireless interface.

10

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising: the processor sensing that the wired interface is no longer connected to the host computer; and the processor switching to wireless communication with the host computer based on the sensing.

11

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising: the processor sensing that the wired communication has become available; and the processor switching to wired communication with the host computer based on the sensing.

12

12. A dual mode human interface device (HID), comprising: an integrated circuit, the integrated circuit comprising: a wireless interface configured to communicate wirelessly with a host computer; a wired interface configured to communicate via a wired interface connection with the host computer; and a processor coupled with both the wireless interface and the wired interface, the processor being configured to: transfer data between the HID and the host computer via the wireless interface and via the wired interface; control whether data is transferred between the HID and the host computer via the wireless interface or via the wired interface; indicate Bluetooth capability to the host computer via a HID input report via the wired interface; and establish, via the wired interface connection, pairing for wireless communication between the HID and the host computer, by providing an address of the HID to the host computer using the wired interface, exchanging a link key between the HID and the host computer using the wired interface, and storing the address and the link key in memory on the HID using the wired interface for use in wireless communication between the HID and the host computer using the wireless interface.

Classification Codes (CPC)

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Patent Metadata

Filing Date

October 27, 2005

Publication Date

March 19, 2013

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Cite as: Patentable. “Dual mode human interface device” (US-8401588). https://patentable.app/patents/US-8401588

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